Highly likely Boston University’s David Quinn will be Rangers next head coach: sources

While nothing is finalized, it is highly likely that Boston University's men's hockey coach David Quinn will become the next head coach of the Rangers, sources with knowledge of the situation confirmed to the Daily News.

Quinn, 51, has coached the Terriers for the past five seasons, leading them to the national title game in the 2014-15 season, and has ample experience coaching and developing young players, which is something the Rangers need as they've assembled a quality crop of prospects to get younger and faster. At one point it was believed Quinn was going to stay at Boston University, but the door to the Ranger job remained open. Quinn took over the BU gig in 2013 after Terriers legend Jack Parker retired following his 40th season behind the bench.

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The Rangers have the only coaching vacancy left in the NHL and seem to have their man lined up six weeks after GM Jeff Gorton fired Alain Vigneault just hours after the season finale in Philadelphia.

Gorton is in Denmark for the IIHF World Championship, which concludes Sunday, and is scheduled to return to New York on Monday. If Quinn secures the job, he'd be the 36th head coach in franchise history.

Bringing in a head coach from the NCAA is not a path many NHL teams have traditionally taken, but it's happening more often recently. Dave Hakstol just finished his third season with the Flyers after coaching University of North Dakota for 11 seasons. He's reached the playoffs twice, losing in the first round each time. The Stars just hired Jim Montgomery from the University of Denver.

Ned Harkness went from Cornell to the Red Wings in 1970 but coached just 38 games. Bob Johnson found success when he left Wisconsin for the Flames in 1982, making the playoffs for five straight years, including a Stanley Cup Final appearance in 1985-86. He then won the Cup with the Penguins in 1990-91 before succumbing to brain cancer on Nov. 26, 1991.

Boston University hockey head coach David Quinn will likely be the Blueshirts' next coach. (Charles Krupa/AP)

Quinn, however, does have experience coaching professionals. He was the head coach for AHL Lake Erie for three seasons through the 2011-12 season and then was an assistant coach for the Colorado Avalanche for one season before becoming BU's head coach in 2013.

The Cranston, R.I. native played for BU from 1984-88 and was associate head coach for the team from 2004-09, helping the team win a national title in 2009. Rangers defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk was at BU for Quinn's final two seasons as an associate coach and also played under him with Lake Erie for 13 games. Rangers assistant GM Chris Drury played at BU from 1994-98.

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Quinn, who compiled a 105-68-21 record the last five seasons with BU, has previously served as an assistant at Northeastern and Nebraska-Omaha and spent several years working for the U.S. development team. Quinn had accepted the head-coaching position for Team USA at the 2019 World Junior Championships, a gig he'd have to give up if he ends up with the Blueshirts.

The Rangers are in a transition period, turning the page on a close-but-no-cigar era — which included a Stanley Cup Final appearance in 2014 and two other conference final appearances — by trying to reshape its roster. After years of being buyers at the trade deadline, Rangers brass made the decision to cash in on assets at this season's deadline after witnessing its team scuffle for more than a month, publicly declaring on Feb. 8 its intent to rebuild. Out went the likes of captain Ryan McDonagh, J.T. Miller, Rick Nash and Michael Grabner, and in came prospects Libor Hajek, Brett Howden, Ryan Lindgren and Yegor Rykov, as well as two late first-round picks in next month's draft, plus a second-rounder and third-rounder.

A "fresh" perspective is needed for the Rangers to usher in their next chapter and get back into contention. Fresh is the word Gorton used two days after firing Vigneault when describing what he was looking for in a new coach. As someone who has commanded respect while working for a top college program and isn't an NHL retread, Quinn fits that description.

Justin Tasch

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Justin Tasch covers the Rangers for the Daily News. Since starting as an intern in April 2012, he has covered every local professional team, college basketball, U.S. Open tennis, golf and high school sports. When not at a sporting event, he can usually be found watching one on television.